Thanksgiving side dishes

[Tormahto]

I have never even SEEN pickled okra.

I'm thankful, too.

[worth1]

I'm making another pecan pie.
This time following the Steens recipe but used brown sugar not white sugar and twice the amount of pecans.
No dates no molasses.
Using Pillsbury pie crust.

[worth1]

Just like the other one.
But a wee bit smaller.
Letting the oven heat up.
Oh and I used 3 eggs not 2.
Don't see how it could hurt.
And I didn't chop the pecans the recipe didn't say chopped pecans.
It called for 1 cup of pecans I used 2 cups.
The pecans on top are additional to the 2 cups.
Probably all together 3 cups of pecans.

20211121_185943.jpg

[karstopography]

Oh my goodness, pickled okra is great. I actually think I’ve had some as a Thanksgiving appetizer so it’s even relevant, too. I have rolled my own pickled okra. Nothing magic about cucumbers and vinegar. Plenty of vegetables are good in acetic acid, okra being one of them.

[worth1]

Thanksgiving is a celebration of the crops grown and a gathering of people giving thanks.
Many more reasons but that's what we do today.
Okra is a crop grown in the south so it fits in perfectly.
It isn't like they could keep it fresh years ago so they pickled it like so many other foods.

[worth1]

Probably will have carrots cooked in Shiner Bock and caraway seeds as a side too.
I don't have to buy anything because I keep Bock on hand to cook with at all times.

[worth1]

It's finished cooking.
Now I can take a shower and go to bed.

20211121_204533.jpg

[brownrexx]

Looks beautiful @worth1 It looks like the kind of pretty pie that I would find at a place like Whole Foods and then it would be so high priced that I wouldn't buy it.

Enjoy!

[brownrexx]

@worth1 my hubby really likes okra so I Googled that pickled okra and Amazon sells it for $20 but my local Walmart also sells that Talk O Texas brand for $3.49 so I am going to pick up a jar when I am near Walmart. I don't go there very often but I think that he would like to try this.

[worth1]

Looks beautiful @worth1 It looks like the kind of pretty pie that I would find at a place like Whole Foods and then it would be so high priced that I wouldn't buy it.

Enjoy!

Thanks for the kind words.

I hope your husband likes the pickled okra.
Okra and jalapeños were the first things I ever pickled on my own grown in our garden when I was a kid.

I purchased the ingredients for a pecan walnut pie today.
Already had the nuts but the additional ingredient is over the top.
Probably make it Wednesday night.

And I wasn't going to have stuffed celery and deviled eggs but I decided to anyway.
Stuffed celery will be cheddar cheese and mayonnaise.
Gotta stop at the Mexican market for the red ripe jalapeños that go in the mix.

[karstopography]

@brownrexx talk o texas is a good one. They have mild and a hot one. I tend to the hot, but the mild is nice, too. That’s a good price, definitely not out of line even for here. Lot’s of brands here. Cajun chef, Best maid, Tabasco, HEB, Old South among others.

[worth1]

Put habanero sauce in one jar awhile back.
Not much but it sure made the okra hot.
Maybe a teaspoon.
Won't do that again.

[worth1]

Not a side but the main event.
Turkey totally thawed out by way of cold refrigerator.
Taking a bath in a salt brine tonight when I get home.
Probably a very weak 1/4 strength cure will be added too.

[AlittleSalt]

I saw this thread and its name matched what I am thinking. My different side is to take some melted semi-sweet chocolate and dipping some semi-seeded split Jalapenos and Serrano peppers in it.

To write the rest of Thanksgiving dinner and sides that have accumulated over decades would take a while.

[Tormahto]

Not a side but the main event.
Turkey totally thawed out by way of cold refrigerator.
Taking a bath in a salt brine tonight when I get home.
Probably a very weak 1/4 strength cure will be added too.

I'm 4 1/2 days in, on a 6 day refrigerated thaw for a 27 pounder.

At WalMart, they are still buying frozen turkeys.

The worst I saw was a Wednesday night turkey near-purchase several years ago. I asked the young couple (first time Thanksgiving cooks) how they were going to thaw it by the next day. Blank stares at each other ensued. They put it back and took a fresh one.

[worth1]

27 pound turkey must have been smuggled out of Texas.

[AlittleSalt]

We took our 21-pound turkey out of the freezer to the fridge last Friday. There were a lot of 24-pound ones to choose from this year. I don't think I have seen a turkey over 24-pounds.

[brownrexx]

I love this thread. It is so nice to see that some people still like to cook (as I do).

Some in my family think that Thanksgiving goodies are mac and cheese, green bean casserole with canned soup and pre packaged cole slaw with bottled dressing.

Yes, I know that it's all about the love, friendship and family but I like great food too and I think that Thanksgiving food needs to be special. I even have special dishes for the event. Here is our table from 2 years ago (last year was cancelled due to Covid). This year's table will look almost identical. We are very traditional.

20181122_152232 by Brownrexx, on Flickr

As I was looking for the table photo I found the pot pie that I made from leftover turkey last year. I will do this again this year. Last year I made 2 and froze one for later and both were really good.

20200326_173825 (2) by Brownrexx, on Flickr

[GoDawgs]

@brownrexx , that's beautiful! We usually have the same three guests every year and I serve it buffet style. I usually make a centerpiece from the fall foliage and other fillers but this year everything is past color and dropping! I think some blooming pink camellia branches with some burgandy loropetalum stuck in there will do.

[worth1]

Some may think it's a foolish move to go last minute shopping on Thanksgiving day.
But I did and it worked marvelously.
I got what I wanted and out in a flash.
No waiting in line.
No rude crowds.
Plenty of parking.
Close to the store too.
And just down the street.
Picked up....
Sage.
Carrots.
Red ripe fresh jalapeños.
It was at the Mexican market bakery and restaurant
Yes it was crowded and lots of happy polite people coming and going.
But not a super market.
Reasonable prices too.